Campus Life: Involuntary Withdrawal

Date approved:

Approved by:

Date to be reviewed:

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Date revised:

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Compliance Committee:

As Scheduled

1.0 PURPOSE

Wheeling Jesuit University places the utmost priority on student welfare and community safety. When a student demonstrates conduct that violates the Student Code of Conduct or other campus policies, that conduct will be addressed through the appropriate disciplinary processes. The Involuntary Withdrawal Policy is not intended to be disciplinary in nature. Rather, it outlines the criteria and procedures for when and how a student may be involuntarily withdrawn from the University for demonstrating behavior that creates a direct threat to the safety or health of the student or others or that unreasonably disrupts the normal education processes and orderly operation of the University. There may be situations in which both this Policy and the Student Code of Conduct and/or other Wheeling Jesuit University policies are applicable.

2.0 CRITERIA

A student may be involuntarily withdrawn from the University if the University determines, in accordance with the procedures listed below, that the student:

Demonstrates behavior that is unreasonably disruptive to the normal education processes and orderly operation of the University;

Demonstrates behavior that endangers him/herself, or;

Demonstrates behavior that endangers others or that creates a direct threat that the student may endanger others.

3.0 DETERMINATION

The involuntary withdrawal process begins when the Dean of Student Development and/or his/her designee receives a referral or other information regarding a student who appears to be demonstrating behavior consistent with one or more of the criteria listed above. If, after reviewing the information received, the Dean of Student Development determines that the student has demonstrated behavior consistent with one or more of the criteria for involuntary withdrawal from the University as stated above, s/he will inform the student of this determination; the student will also receive written documentation of the concern.

Prior to proceeding with the involuntarily withdrawal process, the Dean of Students will always encourage the student to voluntarily withdraw.

4.0 APPEAL

A student may appeal the Dean of Students' determination regarding involuntary withdrawal (or the designated conditions for readmission following an involuntary withdrawal) to the University President and/or his/her designee. A student has three (3) business days to request this appeal. Within ten (10) business days of being received, the President and/or his/her designee shall review all the available information (i.e.-all of the information made available to the Dean of Students and any additional information subsequently made available by the student), and shall, if deemed necessary by the President have the opportunity to ask the student additional questions. Students may be placed on Interim Housing or Interim University Suspension during the time of the appeal.

After reviewing all the available information described above, the University President will assess whether the student has or has not met the criteria for involuntary withdrawal from the University as stated above. The decision of the University President will promptly be communicated to the student in writing. This decision is final.

5.0 INTERIM SUSPENSION PENDING APPEAL

A student who demonstrates behavior that creates an immediate direct threat to him/herself or others, or who demonstrates behavior that is immediately and significantly disruptive to the normal education processes and orderly operation of the University, may be suspended from the University on an interim basis pending an appeal.

All decisions regarding interim suspensions pending appeals will be made by the Dean of Student Development in consultation with University President and/or his/her designee.

6.0 EFFECT OF INVOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL

Students who have been involuntarily withdrawn from the University are generally not permitted to be on University premises or participate in University events. However, a student who has been involuntarily withdrawn or suspended on an interim basis pending an appeal may be on campus, with the permission of the Dean of Student Development for the purposes of participating in the processes detailed in this Policy or as otherwise required and appropriate in the discretion of the Dean.

Students are responsible for contacting appropriate University offices in order to ensure that their academic and financial affairs are in order (including any on-campus housing). All determinations as to the effect of an involuntary withdrawal in these areas will be made by the applicable offices in accordance with existing University policies.

7.0 RETURNING TO CAMPUS - CONDITIONS FOR READMISSION

A student who has satisfied the conditions for readmission outlined at the time of his or her involuntary withdrawal will be considered for readmission to the University.

Readmission conditions will be individually-tailored so as to be appropriate to each student but will always be premised on the notion that the student is no longer a direct threat to him/herself or others, and/or no longer demonstrates behavior that is disruptive to the normal educational processes and orderly operation of the University. Specific conditions for readmission might include:

Appropriate documentation indicating that the student no longer demonstrates the behavior which led to the involuntary withdrawal;

A treatment plan from a mental health professional or other appropriate care provider and/or verification from the provider that the student is complying with a treatment plan (or has been satisfactorily complying with a treatment plan for a designated length of time);

Students wishing to be readmitted must schedule a meeting with the Dean of Student Development to discuss the student's compliance with, and appropriate documentation of, the designated conditions for readmission. All determinations as to whether the conditions for readmission have been satisfied will be made by the Dean of Student Development. These determinations are final.

Because conduct that gives rise to an involuntary withdrawal under this Policy might also result in sanctions in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, it is possible that a student who has met the designated conditions for readmission following an involuntary withdrawal might still not be eligible for readmission to the University.